March 11, 1984

7:22 P.M.

Sam sipped his coffee and looked out the window. It was raining quite hard. Sam sighed.

Of all the days for me not to wear a jacket, he thought. Just wonderful.

Thankfully, his parents didn’t really care how late he stayed out, so he could wait as long as possible for the rain to stop. Unfortunately, he had just spent the last of his money, so he couldn’t buy anymore coffee.

Better make this cup last as long as possible, he thought.

At that moment, a man walked up to him. The man was tall, had long, shaggy brown hair, and wore a Bob Marley t-shirt.

“Hey, do you have about fifty cents that I can borrow?” the man asked Sam. “I need to make a phone call.”

“Sorry man,” Sam said. “I just used up the last of my money.”

“Oh, okay. Thanks though.”

As the man turned to walk away, Sam noticed a guitar case strapped around his shoulder. Without even thinking, Sam asked: “You play guitar?”

The man turned back around.

“I sure do,” he said, grinning. “What gave that away?”

“I can read minds,” Sam said, grinning as well.

The man chuckled. “Why do you ask?”

Sam shrugged. "Just curious."

“Yeah, I’ve been playing the guitar ever since I was five. I used to consider it a hobby, but it’s much more than that now. It’s my passion.”

“Since you were five? Wow, that’s pretty cool.”

“Yeah, you can thank my grandpa. He’s the one who pretty much introduced me to guitars in the first place.”

“Really?”

“You bet.” The man took a seat in Sam’s booth. “When I was a kid, my grandpa would always play songs on his guitar. I still remember how me and my brothers would sit on the couch while my grandpa sang songs for us. Boy do I miss those days.”

“I tried playing the guitar when I was like ten or eleven, but I could never get the hang of it. I’ve always preferred piano and keyboard.”

“You play piano and keyboard? Neat.”

“Yeah, I’ve been playing piano since I was three and keyboard since I was eight. It’s pretty awesome.”

The man nodded. “That’s really sweet. I’m Robbie by the way. Robbie Larson.”

“Sam Kruger.”

“Pleased to meet you, Sam.”

Sam and Robbie shook hands.

“Were you reading?” Robbie asked, pointing at Sam’s book pile.

“Yeah,” Sam replied. “I’ve actually been here all day just reading and drinking coffee. But I’ve finished all of the books and now it’s raining. I don’t really feel like walking in the rain. So I’m pretty much stuck here.”

“What books are those?”

“They’re a couple of H.P. Lovecraft books. The Call Of Cthulhu, The Whisperer In Darkness, and The Cats Of Ulthar. I’ve actually read all of these books like ten times, but I just felt like reading them again today. Never gets old.”

“H.P. who?”

“H.P. Lovecraft. He’s a horror author. Or, he was a horror author. He’s been dead for like fifty years. Anyway, I’ve been reading his stuff since I was like twelve. It’s amazing. Like really amazing. I don’t know if you’re into horror, but I highly recommend his stuff.”

“I’m actually not much of a book guy. Sorry.”

“Oh, that’s okay. Just saying. Anyway, yeah, huge H.P. Lovecraft fan. I have nearly all of his books. I think the only one I don’t have is At the Mountains of Madness. I’m having a hard time finding that one for some reason. I got a copy from the library a few years ago but I can’t find a copy at any store. There has to be one out there somewhere.”

“What other things do you like to read?”

“Well, I’m also a fan of C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien. I’ve been reading their stuff ever since I was a kid. I also like Robert Louis Stevenson, Nathaniel Hawthorne, and Edgar Allan Poe. I’m not a huge fan of Stephen King, but I do like some of his novels. But yeah, Lovecraft is definitely my favorite.”

“Interesting. So I guess you’re kind of a book worm?”

Sam chuckled. “Yeah, I guess you can say that. Well, I don’t crawl through apples, but the book part is accurate.”

Robbie snickered. “Yeah, I guess so.”

“Ugh, sorry about that. My jokes are pretty bad. I really need to stop trying to be funny.”

“It’s fine. I can’t do much better. I tried telling jokes on a date once and my girlfriend just stared at me awkwardly the entire time. I felt like an idiot.”

Sam snickered.

“So are you still in high school or are you graduated?” Robbie asked.

“I’m about to graduate,” Sam said. “Just two more months.”

“Oh really? Same here. Man, I can’t wait to finally be done.”

“You’re still in high school? Wow, I thought you were like in your early twenties.”

Robbie chuckled. “Yeah, I get that a lot. I guess I have really strong genes or something.”

Sam laughed. “So what do you plan on doing after high school?”

“Not entirely sure. Maybe I’ll major in music or something. For now, I think I’m just gonna’ focus on my band.”

“You’re in a band?!”

“Yep, been in one for two years.”

“Wow, that’s awesome!”

“It sure is. My friends and I put it together for a talent show during our sophomore year. We ended up getting third place because the judges don’t know good music. Anyway, the band was only supposed to be for the talent show, but we just said ‘what the hell?’ and kept on going afterwards. I play the guitar, Jason plays the bass, and Alex is on the drums. It’s pretty sweet.”

“Wow, what’s y’all’s name?”

“We’re The White Knights. Awesome name, huh? Alex came up with it. He keeps wanting to change it, but I don't really see why. I think it's a pretty sweet name."

“Who’s the lead singer?”

“You’re looking at him.”

“Oh, you sing too?!”

“Yup, didn’t mention it. But I do. Ever since I was four. Once again, thank my grandpa.”

“That’s awesome! I…I wasn’t gonna mention it before, but I also sing.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, I’ve been singing ever since I was three. I never really tell people, but I love to sing. I really, really do.”

“Why don’t you tell people? That’s not something to be ashamed of.”

“Well, because…I…uh…personal reasons.”

“Oh, okay. Let me tell you though, there’s nothing wrong with you loving to sing. It’s actually quite amazing. I don’t often meet a lot of people who are into music this much. Especially not guys still in high school.”

“Yeah, I know what you mean.”

“What kind of music do you like?”

“Mostly rock. I listen to The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Queen, The Doors, Jimi Hendrix, The Who, and a bunch of other stuff. But my absolute favorite is Alan Stanford. I freaking love Alan Stanford.”

“Same here! Alan Stanford is amazing. Red Ocean and I’m Home are two of my favorite songs of all time.”

“Yeah! My favorite is I'm Just A Man. I listen to that song like three times a day. It's freaking sweet."

"I know, right? Man, I really wish I could get some tickets to see an Alan Stanford concert. I heard he's awesome on stage."

"Yeah, same here."

"So...what are you planning on doing after you graduate?"

Sam frowned and sighed. "I really, really, don't know. There's nothing I'm really interested in."

"What are you talking about?" Robbie asked. "You play the piano and keyboard. And you sing. Why don’t you go for something music related?"

"Well...I could. But...my parents want me to get an actual job. Or at least my dad does."

"An actual job? What on earth is that?"

"My dad always says that I'm not gonna’ get anywhere just playing music. He says it's fine for a hobby, but not an actual job."

"What? Seriously? How does your dad know where you're gonna’ get in the future? Is he a psychic or something? For all he knows, you could become one the most famous singers or pianists of all time! Who is he to say what an ‘actual job’ is?"

Sam shrugged.

"Sorry, got off on a tangent there," Robbie said. "I just can't stand it when parents tell their children 'you aren't getting anywhere in life with blah blah blah.' It drives me crazy."

"Yeah, I know what you mean."

"You want my advice? It's your life. Not your dad's. Do what you want, not what he wants. It's that simple."

I wish, Sam thought.

"I really wish I could keep talking to you, man," Robbie said. "But I actually need to find a way to get ahold of my girlfriend right now. I promised I would give her a call by seven. But I used up all my money on new strings. She's so gonna’ bite my head off by the time I get ahold of her. Looks like I'm gonna’ have to start learning how to play without a head."

Sam chuckled.

"Well, I'll be seeing you around, man," Robbie said, getting up.

Sam sighed and drank some more coffee.

When’s the next time someone will talk to me? he thought. Maybe eighteen more years.

Robbie walked about a foot away from the table, but then suddenly turned around and walked back. Sam looked up in surprise.

"Hey, do you wanna’ come to our practice this Friday?" Robbie asked.

"What?" Sam asked.

"We practice at Jason's house every Friday night. You wanna’ come watch us? Just to check us out?"

"Umm...really? You're actually inviting me?"

Robbie nodded. "You bet."

"Wow! I mean...yeah! Of course I'll go! I've...I've never been invited anywhere before."

"Well, you are now."

"Awesome! I'm definitely checking it out!"

Robbie smiled. "Jason's address is 214 Andrews St. We start practicing at six. I'll write all that down for you."

Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

Robbie then wrote the address down on a napkin and handed it to Sam. Sam stared at the napkin until the address was permanently etched in his brain. A mixture of happiness, surprise, and disbelief began to engulf his body.

"Oh man, I can't wait!" Sam shouted.

"Neither can I," Robbie said. "I'll see you later, man."

"Later!"

After that, Robbie was gone.

Sam began to slurp his coffee so hard that it was all gone within half a minute. Even as he noticed the rain pouring down much harder than usual, a large smile remained on his face.

***

March 16, 1984

5:38 P.M.

“I think this is the place,” Sam said as the car pulled up to a blue house.

“Well, it’s either the place or not the place,” Mr. Kruger said, wiping his nose. “There’s only one 214 Andrews St.”

Sam shook his head. “I’ll see you later.” He opened up the passenger door.

“Call me when you’re ready to go,” Mr. Kruger said as Sam stepped out of the car. “If I were you, I wouldn’t stay too late. I’ve had a long day and I’m tired as hell. I may end up falling asleep earlier than usual. If I’m asleep by the time you call, tough luck. You’re on your own at that point.”

“Bye Dad.”

Sam walked over to the front door of the house and knocked on it. He couldn’t help but shake a little as he did so. After a few seconds, a man with short brunette hair answered the door. He was wearing a blue t-shirt and black basketball shorts.

“Hello,” the man said. “Are you Sam?”

“Umm…yeah,” Sam replied. He began to twiddle his fingers a little bit.

“Awesome! Come right in.”

Sam couldn’t help but stare at everything as he walked into the house. It looked like an average home, with a living room, kitchen, and dining area, but he couldn’t help but feel amazed and excited. He still could hardly believe that all of this was happening.

“Sorry for the mess,” the man said as he and Sam walked through the living room. “My sister likes to leave her clothes all over the house for some reason. I really don’t know why.”

“Ah, it’s nothing I’m not already used to,” Sam replied, still staring at everything. “You should check out my house. It’s like a hundred times worse than this.”

“Jeez, I can’t even imagine.”

Sam snickered and continued to look around.

“Oh, I never introduced myself,” the man said, holding out his hand. “I’m Jason.”

“Nice to meet you, Jason,” Sam replied, shaking Jason’s hand. “You have a really nice place, by the way.”

“Thanks. Though I already know you’re just trying to be nice. Anyone with eyes can see that his place is a trash heap.”

“Well, I think it’s awesome.”

Jason shook his head. “Robbie told me you’re a really nice guy. Looks like he wasn’t lying.”

Sam shrugged.

At that moment, Sam heard a door open from a nearby hallway. A very skinny woman with long black hair and a gray tank top walked into the living room. She was holding a string of keys.

“Jason, I’m heading over to KFC,” the woman said. “You want anything?”

“No, I’m good,” Jason replied. “We’ve already ordered a few pizzas.”

“Oh, okay them.”

The woman suddenly noticed Sam. She looked at him and smiled.

“Hi,” she said. “Are you another one of Jason’s friends? Or did he just invite you to watch him and the guys play?”

“Ummm…both?” Sam replied.

“Oh, really? Well, you’re gonna’ be quite amazed. These guys can really play.”

“You need to higher your standards a bit, Julie,” Jason replied. He then held his hand up and placed his index finger and thumb really close together. “Just a little bit.”

Julie rolled her eyes.

“You boys have fun,” she said, walking over to the front door.

“See ya’, Julie,” Jason said.

Julie then left the house.

“Who was that?” Sam asked.

“My dad’s girlfriend,” Jason replied. “She always acts like our band is one of the greatest bands in the world. I’m really, really not seeing it. I still think we need quite a lot of work.”

“What if you are one of the greatest bands in the world and you just don’t know it?”

“If we were really that great, we would’ve won that freaking talent show. But we didn’t…ergghh…sorry I still get mad when I think about that. Anyway, the garage is this way.”

Sam followed Jason over to a door in the back of the kitchen. Before opening the door, Jason kicked away a white bra that was laying on the floor.

“Who the hell leaves their bras on the kitchen floor?” Jason asked in a very irritated tone of voice. “Seriously?”

“I once found one of my brother’s undershirts in the refrigerator,” Sam replied. “Don’t ask.”

“Umm…okay.”

Sam and Jason walked through the door and into the garage. Robbie and another man were talking to each other and laughing as Sam and Jason walked in. The other man had blond hair and was wearing a white muscle shirt and a black backwards baseball cap.

“Sam!” Robbie said as Sam and Jason walked in. He walked over to Sam and put his arm around Sam’s shoulder. “How are you, man?”

“Great,” Sam replied, twiddling his fingers some more.

“Awesome! You’re here a lot earlier than I expected. We’re all just getting warmed up right now.”

“Cool.”

“Hey man,” the blond man said, holding out his hand. “I’m Alex.”

“Umm…hi,” Sam replied. “I’m Sam.”

“Nice to meet you, Sam. Sam I Am.”

Sam grinned slightly. “Yeah, I heard that a lot when I was a kid.”

Alex grinned back. “Well, now you’re hearing it again.”

Robbie patted Sam’s back. “Sam, it’s really great that you came by. You’re actually the very first person to ever come watch us practice. Like actually show up. We’ve invited people a hundred times and nobody ever bothers to come. Yet they always say yes.” Robbie rolled his eyes. “I really don’t get why people have to lie.”

“Oh,” Sam said. “Sorry to hear that.”

“And I had a feeling you would be the first person to actually show up. You seemed pretty eager to come watch us.”

“Yeah. It’s just…well, I’ve never been invited anywhere before…to hang out, I mean. I…there just…there was no way I way that I was gonna’ pass this up. No way in hell.”

Robbie smiled. “Well, I’m glad you didn’t pass it up. Because I’m feeling pretty good right now. You’re in for quite a practice tonight.”

“Can’t wait to see it,” Sam replied with a smile.

“When are those pizzas getting here?” Alex asked in a slightly agitated tone of voice. “I’m freaking starving.”

“They’ll be here in like five minutes,” Robbie said, picking up his guitar. “Relax.”

“I wish I could. I haven’t eaten anything since breakfast.”

“You didn’t eat lunch?”

“I wasn’t gonna’ eat those disgusting soy burgers. I almost threw up the last time I ate that garbage.”

“Okay, I kind of agree with you on that. Those burgers are pretty gross.”

“Whatever happened to the good food? Was the budget cut or something? Lately the food tastes like Bigfoot crapped on the ground and they scraped it up and served it to people. Seriously, I want the old burgers back.”

“Do y’all all go to the same high school?” Sam asked.

“Yeah,” Robbie replied. “We all go to Madison High. Where do you go?”

“I go to Brackenridge.”

“Brackenridge? That’s interesting. How is it over there?”

“It’s…eh…how’s Madison High?”

“Sucks,” Alex said, taking a drink from a can of 7 Up.

“It’s alright,” Robbie said. “I mean, it’s just high school. You go, you learn, you leave. It’s not supposed to be all that exciting.”

“I guess that makes sense,” Sam replied. “Brackenridge isn’t all that exciting either.”

“Your life after high school is where the excitement comes in.”

“Yeah, in college,” Jason said. “That’s where the real action is.”

“I’m not gonna’ ask what you mean by that,” Robbie replied.

“Have y’all known each other for a long time?” Sam asked.

“I guess so,” Robbie replied. “Alex and I have been friends since third grade. We’ve had plenty of friends come and go, but Jason’s the only one that’s stuck around.”

“Oh really?” Sam asked. “That’s cool.”

“Jason came around in eighth grade,” Robbie continued. “Mainly because he’s the only other guy we’ve met that plays an instrument. Or even cares about music in general. I’m pretty sure that’s the reason why so many people stop hanging around with us. They’re just not into music as much as us.”

“Well, I’m not one of those guys,” Sam said.

“Yep. And maybe that means we’ll have a fourth member of the team pretty soon.”

Sam’s heart nearly jumped out of his chest. “Y…yeah…maybe.”

At that moment, Sam heard the doorbell ring from inside the house.

“Finally!” Alex shouted.

“Got it,” Jason said, grabbing a wallet off a nearby box.

Sam was full of so much excitement that he hardly felt like eating. He took a few bites of one piece of pizza and did not finish it (Alex happily took it for himself). After everyone was finished eating, Robbie stood up and grabbed his guitar.

“Alright guys,” he said. “Y’all ready for some practice?”

“Ugh…can we wait like five minutes?” Alex asked. “Or ten minutes. I need to catch my breath.”

“Alex, how many pieces did you eat?”

Alex covered his mouth and burped. “Six or seven. Maybe eight. I lost count.”

“Maybe eight?!” Jason shouted. “That’s a whole pizza!”

“Alex, why the hell do you keep on doing this?” Robbie asked in an irritated tone of voice. “Okay, new rule. No stuffing yourself before practice. I really think we need to start waiting until after we practice before ordering anything.”

“That sounds like a pretty good idea,” Sam said.

“Thanks Sam. Already on top of things. See, you’re already becoming one of us. Keep it up.”

Sam felt his chest warm up.

“Well, we’ll probably just have to practice without the drums for a little bit,” Robbie said. “I’m not gonna’ wait around just because Alex is on another food hangover. Let’s go, Jason.”

“Alright, I’m coming!” Alex shouted, waddling over to his drums. “Damn!”

“Try not to suck,” Jason said, taking one last sip of his water bottle.

“I’m not making any promises,” Alex replied, covering another burp.

“Alright then,” Robbie said, turning on his amplifier. “Time to get this show on the road.”

“What song are we practicing first?” Jason asked.

“Let’s start with Madison Avenue.”

“I still hate that name,” Alex said.

“Be sure to give it your all, guys,” Robbie said. “We’ve finally got ourselves an audience. Make sure he has a good time.”

“I think he’s already having a good time,” Jason said.

You’ve got that right, Sam thought, smiling.

“Well, make sure he has the best time ever,” Robbie said.

That shouldn’t be so difficult, Sam thought.

Robbie took a deep breath and strummed his guitar. “Alright Sam. Once again, it’s great to see you here. You ready to hear some music?”

“Oh hell yeah,” Sam replied.

“Great!” Robbie said with a giant grin. “Then let’s get this show on the road! Here’s Madison Avenue!”

As the song started up, Sam nearly jumped back in shock. The song started out with a guitar solo, which on it’s own left Sam completely stunned. As the full weight of the guitars, bass, and drums (despite being full of pizza, Alex was giving quite a stellar performance) hit his ears, Sam’s jaw practically fell to the ground. Robbie’s singing voice flowed so well with the music that Sam found himself humming all the words. For a brief moment, Sam completely forgot he was in someone’s garage. He suddenly imagined that he was in an actual concert hall sitting in the front row and cheering loudly with the millions of other fans.

Julie had been right. These guys could really play.

As the song finished, Sam paused for quite a few seconds before clapping. He was still full of shock.

“Umm…wow…,” Sam stammered as he clapped.

“What’d you think, Sam?” Robbie asked.

“Be as honest as possible,” Jason said. “No buttering things up. Don’t waste all the butter.”

Alex shot a puzzled look at Jason.

“Well…” Sam said. “I…I loved it. I…I…I really, really loved it. You…guys are awesome. Beyond awesome. I just…you guys did amazing. That’s all I can really say.”

Jason snickered. “Sam, did I ever tell you that you’re a really, really nice guy? C’mon, where’s the real review?”

“Really Jason?” Robbie asked irritably. “Really? Our very first audience member praises us and that’s how you respond? Seriously?”

“Sorry, I was just asking for his actual thoughts.”

“Those are my actual thoughts,” Sam replied. “I wasn’t exaggerating. You guys literally sounded like an actual band. Not a cheap garage band that you see in all the movies, but an actual band. The ones you would go see at a concert. Y’all are freaking amazing.”

Robbie smiled and nodded. “Thank you, Sam. That means a lot.”

“Well, I guess that’s just your opinion, Sam,” Jason said. “We’re all entitled to our own opinions. I just happen to have an entirely different one.”

“Here’s my opinion,” Alex said. “Get a better song title.”

“Madison Avenue is a great name!” Robbie replied. “Why do you hate it so much?”

“Because it obviously reminds me of Madison High. Seriously, why would you name a song after our freaking high school? I’m trying to escape from there!”

“So, what other songs do y’all have?” Sam immediately asked, hoping to end the argument.

“Well,” Robbie said, taking a breath. “Here’s a song that we came up with about a month ago. You’ll probably like this one even better. It’s called Sea Biscuit.”

“I’m getting a little tired of doing that one,” Jason said.

“Same here,” Alex said. “Can we try out Robots again?”

“Guys, Sam has never heard Sea Biscuit,” Robbie said. “Let’s do it for him.”

Jason and Alex both sighed.

“Okay,” they both said.

Robbie smiled and strummed his guitar. “You’re gonna’ love this one, Sam. If you thought Madison Avenue was amazing, you haven’t heard nothing yet.”

Sam felt a great rush of excitement. “Let’s hear it!”

“Alright then,” Robbie said, strumming on his guitar some more. “Here it goes. This is Sea Biscuit.”

Not unlike what Sam expected, Sea Biscuit was yet another spectacular song. Sam wasn’t sure if he loved it more than Madison Avenue. They were both equally great songs. Once again, Sam hummed the words as Robbie sang. At this point, Sam legitimately felt like he was attending his first ever concert.

After the song finished, Sam cheered and clapped much harder than before.

“Yeah!!” he shouted. “Wahoo!!”

“I need some water,” Jason said, grabbing his water bottle.

“What’d you think of that one, Sam?” Robbie asked. “You like it better than Madison Avenue?”

“I think they were both great songs,” Sam said. “I like them both equally. Once again, you guys are freaking awesome. Can I…I can come back again next week, right?”

“I never said you couldn’t, did I?”

“Ummm…no?”

“Then we’ll see you here next week.”

Sam was filled with so much excitement that he nearly fell off his chair.

“Thank you, Robbie,” he said.

“You’re welcome, man,” Robbie said, strumming his guitar some more. “Practice isn’t over yet, though. We still have a lot more work to do.”

“I can’t wait to hear it.”

“Can we do Robots now?” Alex asked.

The next couple of hours consisted of nothing but more brilliant music. Sam continued to cheer for the band as they played each song and continued to be amazed. Sam was trying his absolute hardest to come up with a way to give advice with each song, but came out with a blank mind each time. It was almost impossible not to be impressed by how well The White Knights could play. Sam continued to imagine himself in a concert hall as he listened to them.

After Sam finished applauding to a song titled Lovely, he suddenly noticed the clock on the garage wall. It was already past eight. He remembered what his father had told him earlier.

“Can we take another break?” Jason asked, waving his hands around. “My hands are on fire.”

“Yeah, I’m starting to lose my voice,” Robbie said, coughing slightly. “We’ll take another ten minute break. After that, we can do one or two more songs and then call it a night.”

“Sounds good to me,” Alex said, drinking some 7 Up.

“Hey guys,” Sam said, standing up. “I wish I could stay longer. But I actually need to get going. Like really soon.”

“It’s only eight,” Robbie said, looking at the clock. “Why the rush?”

“Well…my dad told me to not to stay too late. Or else he would fall asleep by the time I call him. He said he wouldn’t come get me if he’s already asleep. And my stepmom is out of town until next week. There’s no one else who can give me a ride. So…yeah, I need to get going.”

“That sucks,” Jason said. “Is your dad related to Garfield by any chance? Because he sounds really lazy.”

“Why would his dad be related to a fat orange cat from newspaper comics?” Alex asked.

“Hey, let me tell my jokes.”

Robbie walked over to Sam and put his arm on his shoulder.

“I’ll give you a ride home,” Robbie said.

“What?” Sam asked.

“Don’t worry about your dad. I’ll give you a ride home in my truck. Also, if you want, I can give you a ride each week. I can pick you up and bring you back home each practice. Just give me your address.”

Sam looked at Robbie for a brief moment. He then smiled and nodded.

“Yeah!” he shouted. “Thanks Robbie! That’s…that’s awesome! Thank you, man.”

“Anytime,” Robbie replied.

Sam sat back down on the chair, completely full of thought. He could hardly believe all that had transpired in the last couple of hours.

“So,” Alex said, taking a seat in another chair. “What songs are we gonna’ finish off with?”

“I kind of wanna’ do Harmony,” Jason replied. “I really need to get better at my bass solo.”

“I have a better idea,” Robbie said, walking over to the nearby piano (which hadn’t been used at any point in the night). He then looked over at Sam and smiled. “I know the perfect way to end the night off. Sam, I remember you telling me back at the diner that you played the piano. And that you sang.”

“Umm…yeah,” Sam replied.

“Well,” Robbie said, patting the piano. “Why don’t we hear some of it?”

Sam turned white. “Wh…what?”

“Play some music for us,” Robbie said, patting the piano again. “Right here.”

“Yeah!” Jason said, taking a large drink of water. “Let’s hear it!”

“I…I don’t know,” Sam stammered.

“C’mon Sam!” Robbie shouted. “I wanna’ hear what you sound like!”

“Yeah!” Alex shouted. “Show us what you got!”

Sam thought for a brief moment. He began to think once more of all that had happened that day. Were these really the type of guys who would say anything hurtful to him? What’s the worse that these guys could say to him?

Is there really any reason for me to say no? Sam thought.

Shaking, Sam stood up. “Alright. I’ll play.”

Robbie, Jason, and Alex all began to cheer loudly as Sam reached into his backpack and pulled out a few pages of his sheet music. He then slowly walked over to the piano.

Why are you so nervous? Sam thought to himself. These guys aren’t gonna’ make fun of you. No matter how badly you screw up. Just relax.

“You got this, Sam!” Jason shouted.

“Let’s go, Sam I Am!” Alex shouted.

“Alright guys!” Robbie shouted, holding out his arm. “Let’s hear it for Sam Kruger!”

As Sam took a seat at the piano, he felt a smile form on his face. He lay his fingers down on the keys and started playing.